>"Stop this madness boy!" Cholet shouted back, and fell to the ground.
 
>S'an gripped the sword with two hands and faced Serraphine's father.
>"Leave my home alone." He growled, and steel flashed through the air.

Larguad easily parried S'an blow, shifted his weight, and knocked S'an to
the ground.  "You think you can kill me?"  Raising his sword, he struck
out.

S'an rolled backwards, the breeze from Larguad's blade brushing by his
face, and got to his feet.  Looking around, he saw that the soldiers were
gathering in a circle, and S'an felt his chances dwindle.  There was no
way out now.

'But I have no idea how to use a sword!' S'an thought, staying out of the
lord's reach.

*But you know how to use a staff, sir.* Joell sent.

Dodging yet another blow, S'an scowled.  'But that doesn't help me now?!'

*Hold on.*

S'an nodded to himself, parrying a barrage let on by the Lord, knowing it
was not only his life he was defending, but the whole warren's as well.

Suddenly, there was a yell from the ranks of soldiers, and a group of
polemen fell down, their weapons rolling into the human circle.  S'an
could see Joell's tail slink back, and grinned micheviously.

'Thank you my friend.' He sent.

Fire seemed to leap out if his shoulder, and S'an dropped the sword.
Letting out a yell, he felt another burst of fire along his side, and he
fell to the ground.  He grabbed his side, and looked down.  Blood was
beginning to soak through his fingers, and S'an realised this was where
his knife wound was previously.

"Give my reguards to oblivion." Larguad growled, bringing his sword down.

S'an felt a burst of anger inside him, against everything that had
happened.  His home, destroied.  His friends, dead.  Yasmine....
Using that anger, S'an leaped up, grabbing the Lord's arms in mid-swing.
For a second, he saw fear in Larguad's eyes.

"You know, I just patched myself up a few days ago." He said softly, and
pushed the lord away.  Diving towards one of the fallen pole-arms, his
hands closed on its shaft.  Getting up, he faced Larguad, and broke off
the heavy-bladed end of the weapon, making it a staff with a broken,
jagged edge.

"Now, let's play." S'an said, and advanced, the wooden pole humming
through the air as it spun.  Larguad backed up, looking for an opening
with which to end this upstart.

S'an began to attack, his strikes whipping in and out, never letting up.
His side and arm ached, and he could feel his strength seeping from his
body through the two wounds.  His clothes felt sticky with blood, but he
couldn't stop.  He had to finish this now.

Larguad continued to back up, his sword parrying quickly.  There was no
time for attack, but maybe there was a way.  Shifting back, Larguad dug
his foot into the dirt, kicked it up towards S'an, and screamed a battle
cry....

**** NRPG ****
I saw no reason to change this first part, since it didn't conflict with
Morgan's post. :)
****      ****

**** RPG ****

Everything was quiet... no voices, no swords clashing.  S'an opened his
eyes and winced.  His body felt like it had gone toe to toe with a
dragon, and a grumpy one at that.  Looking down, he saw the body of Lord
Larguad, Serraphine holding him in her arms.

"Serraphine..." S'an said softly, and she looked up at him. "I'm....
sorry."

The baronet nodded, "You had to.  I know you did."

S'an bent down to look at her father.  At his right temple a nasty bump
had raised, blood trickling slowly down from his split scalp.  Feeling his
pulse, S'an saw that he was still alive.

"He's still alive." He said.

"I know... will the healers make him all right?" Serraphine asked, her
eyes pleading with S'an.  The rider nodded.

"Yeah, he will be all right."

"You hit him hard enough to split a rock, though his skull seems to
be harder." A voice from behind said.  S'an looked around.  A young man
walked up and saluted.  His armor was that of a lords, and his manner said
that he was a noble.  

"When you knocked Lord Larguad unconscious, the soldiers began to
rush you, but I stopped them.  You see, I have command of the army now.
With my father dead and Larguad defeated, I am in charge." His voice
seemed to sadden when he mentioned his father, but like a soldier, he kept
his emotions in check.

"I came to get Lady Serraphine back," he said, bowing to the baronet.
"But if she would rather stay here, it is her choice.  I will have no more
bloodshed this day."

A healer approached with two helpers.  "We need to get him inside the
wagon." He said.

Serraphine nodded, and as they carried her father away, she turned to
the lord.  "Thank you Tristan."

"You are welcome, m'lady." He said, and watched some soldiers that were
leaving, marching out of the warren. All three were silent for a while.  
Finally Tristan spoke.

"I have to return to Northelm, to take my fathers place." He said, "I'm
sorry this happened, Dragonrider."

"So am I, but thank you." S'an said.

Tristan nodded, then turned and left, shouting orders to some soldiers.

Serraphine watched him go.

"Serraphine, you don't have to marry him." S'an said, and the Baronet
nodded.

"I know, and he knows that too.  We never loved eachother, but our
fathers wanted us to." She said, and turned around, tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault."

"I feel like it is." Serraphine said, turning away for a moment.  
"Besides, I have to leave now."

"But..."

"Lady Serraphine?" A man asked, his clothes showing that he was a healer.
She nodded.  

"We examined your father.  He is..." He seemed to be trying to find the
words. "He is in a coma.  We were able to save him, but there is no
telling when he will wake up."

The baronet nodded, "Thank you."  The healer nodded back, and returned to
the wagon train.

"Why do you have to leave?" S'an asked. "I thought you wanted to stay
here?"

"I do, S'an.  But my mother will need me, and so will my
people... at least for a little while.  Yasmine said I have the
affinity..."

S'an's eyes widened, but Serraphine put her fingers against his lips.

"At the next hatching, come and get me, ok?" Serraphine asked.

S'an nodded, and smiled.  "I will.  I promise."

Serraphine grinned, and gave S'an a hug.  "Again... thank you for what you
have done."

S'an returned the hug.

*Sir.* Joell interrupted.

'Yes, Joell?' S'an asked.

*Starlin is in a fit, sir.  Something has happened to Yasmine.  She is
being transported to the medical center right now.*

S'an let go of Serraphine.  "I have to go.  Yasmine is in trouble." He
said, and Serraphine nodded.

"So do I.  Take care of her." The baronet said, and smiled.  "Tell her
goodbye for me."

"I will." S'an said, and took off for the med center.

Serraphine watched him go, sad and happy at the same time.  'Maybe some
other day.' She said to herself, and began walking towards her escort.
Once she was on her horse, she turned and saw S'an catch up with a
streacher.  She hoped Yasmine was all right.  

"I love you, S'an." She said quietly, and rode off with the caravan.

******

S'an ran towards the medical center, and saw two of the staff heading
towards it with a streacher.  Catching up with it, saw that it bore
Yasmine.

"Is she all right?" He asked, and one nodded.

"She will be once we get her inside." He said, not stopping.  S'an walked
along with them.

"What happened?"

"Trauma, mental and physical." He said, and looked S'an over.  "You should
come with us.  Those wounds look pretty nasty too."

Suddenly S'an felt the pain of his own body, now that his attention was
brought to it.  "As long as I can stay with her."

The man nodded.

S'an took Yasmine's hand, and looked into her eyes.  "You're going to be
all right." He said.

*****

David saw Kirimith land on the green, a very digruntled Minty trying to
climb off the dragon.  David ran up to help her.

"I was worried that ye'd be hurt." He said once she got to the ground.
"Ye and e'baby."

"We're ok, though I'd like a hot bath." She said with a smile, and hugged
her mate.  "I heard about Kaylin.  Is he all right?"

"Aye, he's fine." David said, "Te'medical staff are taking care o'him." He
smiled, and kissed her forehead.  "Let's get ye home..."

******** later **********

S'an sat in a chair, watching Yasmine on a bed.  His bandeged side ached,
but at least he had stopped bleeding.

"Before all of this happened, I was going to apologise for getting you
drunk the other night.  I didn't mean to." He said, "I just thought it
would help you open up."

He didn't seem to get much of a responce.

"Serraphine had to leave, but she said she would come back at the next
hatching.  Told me to take care of you." He said with a smile, and gripped
her hand gently. "Can't go back on orders now, can I?"

********
SUBMITTED BY
********

Justin

NRPG:  I hope this fixes everything.  If not, I can change it more.  Once
       again, my apoligies Morgan.  Just my poor head being stupid again.
       ;) Forgive?